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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. scale — in music
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. saw — the tool
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mine — for digging
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ball — a great time
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bound — tied together
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. can — a tin
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com